The Gallery
Learning about and practising commoning on the New Forest.
In medieval times a forest meant an area preserved for royal hunting, and not a wooded area as it does today.
The Agisiter ensures welfare standards of the free-roaming animals are maintained.
The ‘architects’ of the New Forest.
The New Forest landscape supports many species of plants, insects, birds and mammals. It should be valued as a reserve for nature.
One of many gatherings where Commoners can exchange news, information and knowledge.
Pannage season is part of the ancient commoning rights and a popular tradition.
Traditional management practices, particularly commoning, have conserved the ecological diversity of the Forest.
Tag Archives: New Forest pony
New Forest: the truth about the ‘wild’ ponies.
Without doubt one of the best things about visiting the New Forest is seeing the ponies that inhabit the heathland, woods and lawns wandering freely about. Although the New Forest ponies are often referred to as ‘wild’ this is not, … Continue reading
Posted in New Forest, New Forest Commoner, New Forest pony
Tagged Common Rights, Commoner, domestic, horse owner, horse rustler, horse thief, New Forest pony, owned, semi-feral, thieves, truth, wild pony
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New Forest: autumn is here and the drifts are underway
Autumn has arrived. The heathland, woods and lawns wear a pale blanket of mist in the early mornings and the heathland is mantled in purple heather. The blackberries shine like jewels in the hedgerows and great quantities of sloes decorate … Continue reading
Posted in New Forest, New Forest customs, New Forest pony, New Forest Pony Drift
Tagged Agister, Commoner, drift, galloping, New Forest pony, pound, round-up, traditional, Verderers of the New Forest, working forest
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New Forest: Eclipse – the son of Marske
In the month of May, just under 250 years ago, began the career of the most celebrated racehorse of his day and one of the most famous Thoroughbred horses in history. Foaled in 1764, Eclipse was a mean tempered colt … Continue reading
Posted in New Forest pony
Tagged Bisterne, breeding, Duke of Cumberland, Earl of Abingdon, Eclipse, foal, George II, George Stubbs, Georgian, guineas, mares, Marske, New forest, New Forest pony, Racehorse, racing, Ringwood, Spilletta, stallion, stud, Tattersalls, Thoroughbred
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New Forest stallion inspection: choosing the next generation of pony sires
I recently attended the annual New Forest stallion inspection, held at the Beaulieu Road Sales Yard, where the next generation of pony sires were selected. It was an interesting process to witness and the colts and stallions that were presented … Continue reading
Posted in Beaulieu Road Sales, New Forest, New Forest pony
Tagged batchelor herd, colt, Commoners Defence Association, foal, judges, mare, New Forest pony, New Forest Pony Breeding & Cattle Society, stallion, Stallion Scheme, Verderers of the New Forest
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New Forest: killing with kindness.
Since writing last week (March 2015) about people hand-feeding and petting the free-roaming ‘wild’ ponies on the New Forest I’ve had several readers get in touch to tell me about incidents they’ve witnessed. Some of these incidents have included families … Continue reading
Posted in New Forest, New Forest pony
Tagged Agister, alkaloid, architect of the Forest, Byelaw, colic, digestive system, donkey, equine, fatal, herbivore, New forest, New Forest pony, poison, toxic, Verderer, wild ponies
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The New Forest ponies are dressed for winter
It’s getting noticeably colder (December 2014). My outdoor coat, which hangs in the porch, is chilly to put on in the morning but as I go about the early chores on my holding I soon warm up. I’ve never forgotten … Continue reading
Posted in New Forest pony
Tagged fodder, hay, minerals, New Forest pony, Norman Thelwell, sebum, winter coat
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New Forest: Lane Creepers
Before the New Forest was fenced and gridded the free-roaming stock ranged widely outside the official boundary. Commoner’s ponies were known to reach as far as the eastern suburbs of Southampton, down into Christchurch in the southwest, and almost into … Continue reading
Posted in New Forest, New Forest Commoner, New Forest pony
Tagged hobbles, Lane Creeper, New forest, New Forest boundary, New Forest pony, perambulation, pound
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Bringing the ponies home.
When the clocks go back each autumn the daylight hours become fewer and the weather is generally more inclement. It’s a testing time for the commoners and can make searching for stock on the Open Forest quite an undertaking. I … Continue reading
Posted in New Forest, New Forest Commoner, New Forest pony
Tagged colt-hunting, homing instinct, New forest, New Forest pony, Open Forest, round-up, Verderer
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New Forest pony: wild or tame but always clever.
The free-roaming ponies of the New Forest are often described as ‘wild’ but it would be more accurate to define them as ‘semi-feral’. The only truly wild horse still in existence is the Przewalski’s horse (Equus caballus przewalskii), a breed … Continue reading
Posted in New Forest, New Forest pony
Tagged Brumby, Commoner, equine, Equus caballus przewalskii, feral, horses, Mustang, New forest, New Forest pony, predator, prey species, Przewalski's horse, selective breeding, semi-feral, Wild horses
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Commoning: cooperation and coordination
The practice of commoning on the New Forest is generally a very sociable enterprise. The support and cooperation of other commoners is essential for maintaining the welfare of the free-roaming stock. When I go out on the Forest I always … Continue reading
Posted in New Forest, New Forest Commoner, New Forest pony, New Forest Pony Drift
Tagged Agisters, commoning, Cow, drifts, mastitis, New forest, New Forest pony, ponies, round-up, snake bite, veterinarian
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